The meeting last week was intended to introduce Hispanic leaders to local families who’ve lost loved ones in police shootings. Everyone would discuss ideas for improving communication between residents and police.
But few leaders showed up. And communication between residents and the lone police officer who attended quickly grew volatile. Still, community activist Mary Perez, who’d organized the meeting at her restaurant, Enchiladas Ole, said she felt good had come from it. If nothing else, police learned that residents are watching them more closely.
The crowd that gathered in the Riverside eatery included relatives of Daniel Brumley, who died in January, as well as the family of Sixto Quezada, an unarmed man who was killed by police in 2013. Fort Worth Weekly reported on the circumstances of Brumley’s death in a recent cover story (“Blood on Whose Hands?” Feb. 25, 2015).
Residents expressed their fear that police violence is increasing locally at a time when it is becoming a growing national concern. They want officers as well as residents to be better trained on how to act during traffic stops. And they want police to be more open with information about shootings that involve officers. They didn’t invite police officials; they wanted to talk among themselves first. But Deputy Police Chief Charlie Ramirez heard about it, volunteered to attend and express his condolences to the families, and vowed to look into complaints.
Brumley and Quezada were killed during traffic stops in the Diamond Hill neighborhood. Relatives of both men say the shootings could have been avoided and accuse police of being tight-lipped, uncooperative, and rude. Quezada’s relatives say they’ve tried for two years to find out why police resorted to violence in pulling over their son. A grand jury declined to indict the officers involved, and police had closed the case.
The families appreciated Ramirez’ showing up but also peppered him with questions. Police are still investigating the Brumley case, and Ramirez told them he couldn’t discuss it. Ramirez explained to the Quezada family how to go about getting public documents related to that case.
Daniel Brumley’s relatives are still in shock over his recent death. The Quezadas are mired in anger and frustration. They say their son, unarmed and afraid of police and with a criminal record, tried to drive away during a traffic stop and was shot without provocation. Police say the 22-year-old man tried to hit an officer with the SUV he was driving.
Emotions ran high, and questions lobbed at Ramirez eventually turned into broad accusations of police misbehavior. Ramirez became visibly angry and defended the department.
“If you’re being cursed at [by officers], we don’t tolerate that,” Ramirez said. “We have IAD [Internal Affairs Division] dedicated to make sure officers do the right thing.”
Perez asked the crowd why none of them had filed an official complaint.
“Because they don’t ever do nothing,” a woman answered.
“That’s not true,” Ramirez said. “We do discipline. I’ve given officers days off and reprimands for being disrespectful or cussing at people.”
“That’s the whole reason for this meeting, Charlie,” Perez said. “They want to be heard about how they’ve been treated since these crimes. No answers in two years [for the Quezadas], and now this [Brumley] case seems to be going in the same direction. They’re afraid that nothing is going to happen, and then they’re going to be targeted.”
I used to own a home in the Northbrook neighborhood, off of Mark IV Parkway. That home was broken into multiple times. When I called the police and they would show up, they basically blamed me. When I showed them evidence (blood from the broken glass, fingerprints, property left by the criminals, etc), they’d say “no body, no crime”. Eventually, after my home was broken into in April ’14; and fruitlessly tried to encourage them to investigate or find someone who would… less than two weeks later, a home on the next block was broken into (in the same manner as mine), looted, and then burned nearly to the ground. I think it’s funny, how they are enthusiastic to terrorize some citizens (who don’t deserve it), and then sit back and do nothing to prevent crime when (I thought!) that is what at least some paid law enforcement officers are supposed to do to SOME extent. Fortunately, I don’t live in that neighborhood anymore. Obviously, the citizenry there is on their own. I hope those officers enjoy their un-earned pensions.
Jesse is my Uncle, he is mentally impaired and this really shook him up. Literally trembling. I don’t think he’ll ever get over it. It got me raging mad the next morning when I found out this happened. The police who were there, just assumed Jesse was going for a gun or something. He was calling for help, he is mentally impaired and needed help.He doesn’t understand a lot of things. Cops are too quick to break down doors and shoot their guns, ask questions later. What gets me is his name is on the mailbox and he’s lived in that house almost a year. WTF were these law enforcement people going on that led them to believe this girl lived in that house? How old was that information and why didn’t they follow up with that info BEFORE breaking down his screen door and busting in his house.
I live next to that house that was on fire in Northbrook. It’s still vacant and I’m always chasing kids out of the yard/driveway. I always ask them are you the punks that set it on fire?! I really wish the bank would hurry up and do something with it. I really liked this neighborhood when I moved here 14 years ago. Ever since they built those income controlled apartments down the street, it’s all gone down. (I’ve been fortunate enough though that when I have called on the police, they have listened.)
Peckerwoods behave like Peckerwoods, Pigs behave like Pigs. What’s new here?